The Mission of the Missouri Coalition for Oral Health is to improve oral health for all Missourians through sound public policy and public awareness. This bold mission will be accomplished through the dedication and hard work of concerned citizens. There are many opportunities to help. One way to help is through committee work. For example, the Coalition Policy Committee recently developed policy goals and action steps to achieve those goals. If you are interested in serving on a committee of the Missouri Coalition for Oral Health or offering your time and talents to assist with specific projects click here.

Oral diseases are a devastating problem among a significant percentage of Missouri’s residents, affecting their overall health and ability to work and learn. Access to oral health care varies greatly across the state. The need for services has been documented in the 2009 statewide oral health plan. According to the CDC, only 62.6% of Missourians visited a dentist within the previous 12 months. The CDC reported that 56.1% of Missouri children received preventive dental care in 2004, compared to the national average of 58.8%, and only 28.6% of 3rd grade students have one or more sealants on their permanent first molar teeth. Oral disease is increasingly an issue among the state’s elderly, where 44% of skilled nursing facility residents were assessed as having untreated decay, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. The Missouri Coalition for Oral Health is supported by the Missouri Foundation for Health, the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City, the REACH Healthcare Foundation, and the DentaQuest Foundation. The Coalition was reorganized in 2011 to support strategic work on policy related to oral health. A new Executive Director, Gary Harbison, was hired.